Sheng Di, Mai Dong and Yu Zhu Soup

Why people make this soup

Modern city life can quietly wear a person down. When rest is consistently inadequate, the body’s internal rhythms start to slip: persistent fatigue, puffiness, cold hands and feet, itchy skin, forgetfulness, a general loss of vitality. In traditional Chinese food therapy, many of these signs point to a depletion of yin — the body’s cooling, nourishing fluid — and a loss of qi. This simple four-herb decoction is designed to gently address that pattern. It has a pleasant, mild sweetness from the honey dates and is light enough to take twice a week as a regular wellness soup.

Method

1. Soak all herbs in water for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour (this helps remove any residual sulphur used in storage and makes the herbs more effective once cooked).
2. Drain and place all ingredients in a pot with 1.5 L of water (1.25 litres).
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 25 minutes until reduced to 600 ml.
4. Drink in two portions throughout the day. Eat the softened herb pieces as well.

Nourilo’s Tips

This is a gentle, mildly nourishing soup — not a strong tonic. If you have a cold constitution, adding a few slices of ginger makes it more balanced. Drink twice a week as part of a regular wellness routine. You can also add lean pork to turn it into an everyday family soup. Honey dates can be replaced with longan flesh (yuan rou) if preferred. Lean toward soaking herbs like mai dong, yu zhu, and sheng di for at least 30 minutes before cooking — many dried herbs are fumigated with sulphur for preservation, and soaking helps remove it.